The header is one of the most prominent sections of any WordPress website. It typically contains your logo, navigation menu, and sometimes a call-to-action button or contact information. Changing the background color of your header can significantly impact the overall design of your site, helping you create a more visually appealing and brand-consistent experience for your visitors.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through various methods of changing the background color of your WordPress site’s header. We will explore how to achieve this using customizer options, CSS, page builders, and theme-specific settings, following Google’s Helpful Content Guidelines to provide accurate, clear, and user-friendly instructions.
Why Customize Your Header Background Color?
Before diving into the technical steps, it’s worth understanding why changing the background color of your header can be important:
- Branding: Matching the header background color to your brand’s color scheme creates a cohesive visual identity.
- User Experience: A well-chosen background color can improve the readability of the content in your header, such as the menu and call-to-action buttons.
- Visual Appeal: Altering the header’s background color allows you to experiment with color combinations that enhance your website’s overall design.
- Navigation Clarity: A distinct background color for the header helps it stand out, making it easier for visitors to find navigation links and other important elements.
Method 1: Using the WordPress Customizer
The easiest way to change the background color of your site’s header is through the WordPress Customizer. Most modern themes provide the option to modify the header’s appearance through this tool.
Steps:
- Log in to Your WordPress Admin Panel: Go to your WordPress dashboard by navigating to yoursite.com/wp-admin and logging in.
- Access the Customizer: In the admin menu, hover over the “Appearance” section and click on “Customize.” This will open the WordPress Customizer, where you can preview changes in real-time.
- Navigate to the Header Section: Look for the section that allows you to customize the header. This might vary depending on the theme you’re using, but it is often labeled as “Header,” “Site Identity,” or “Colors.”
- Change the Background Color: Once you’re in the appropriate section, you should see an option to change the header background color. This could be a color picker, where you can select a color or input a hex code that corresponds to your desired color.
- Preview and Publish: As you adjust the background color, you’ll see the changes appear in the preview window. Once you’re satisfied with the new color, click the “Publish” button to save the changes.
Method 2: Using Custom CSS
If your theme doesn’t offer built-in options for changing the header background color, or if you want more customization control, you can use custom CSS.
Steps:
- Identify the CSS Class for Your Header: To change the background color via CSS, you first need to know the CSS class or ID associated with your site’s header. You can find this by inspecting the HTML code using your browser’s developer tools.
Right-click on your site’s header and choose “Inspect” or “Inspect Element.”
Look for a div or header element that represents the header. It will likely have a class like .site-header, .header, or similar.
Add Custom CSS: After identifying the header class, you can add the custom CSS to change its background color.
Go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS in your WordPress admin panel.
Add the following CSS code, replacing .site-header with the correct class or ID and the #yourcolorcode with the desired color:
css
.site-header {
background-color: #yourcolorcode;
}
For example, if you want to change the background to blue, you can write:
css
.site-header {
background-color: #0073e6;
}
Save and Publish: Preview the changes to ensure the new color looks good, and click the “Publish” button to apply the new header background color to your site.
Method 3: Changing Header Background with Page Builders
If you’re using a page builder plugin like Elementor or WPBakery, customizing the header background color becomes even easier, as these builders offer intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces for modifying your site’s design.
Steps for Elementor
- Edit with Elementor: Open the page where your header appears and click “Edit with Elementor.”
- Select the Header Section: In Elementor, hover over the header section until you see the blue section border. Click on the section to bring up the editing options in the left sidebar.
- Change the Background Color: Under the “Style” tab, you will see options for background customization. Choose the “Background Type” option and select a color using the color picker.
- Publish: After adjusting the color, click the “Publish” button to apply the changes.
Steps for WPBakery
- Edit Page with WPBakery: Open the page where your header appears and click “Edit with WPBakery.”
- Find the Header Section: Hover over the header section and click the pencil icon to edit it.
- Background Color Settings: In the “Design Options” tab, you’ll find an option to change the background color. Select your desired color from the color picker.
- Save Changes: After making your adjustments, click “Save Changes” and then update the page to apply the new header background color.
Method 4: Theme-Specific Header Background Settings
Many premium themes come with built-in header customization options. These themes often have their own theme panel where you can easily change the header’s background color without any coding or external plugins.
Steps:
- Access Theme Options: Navigate to Appearance > Theme Options or Theme Settings (depending on your theme). Some themes may also have these options under the “Customize” menu.
- Find the Header Section: In the theme options panel, locate the section that deals with header settings. It may be labeled “Header,” “Header Layout,” or something similar.
- Change the Background Color: Within the header settings, look for the background color option. Use the color picker or input a hex code to set the background color of your header.
- Save and Apply Changes: After selecting your desired color, click the “Save” or “Publish” button to apply the changes to your site.
Best Practices for Choosing a Header Background Color
When choosing a background color for your header, it’s important to consider the following factors:
- Readability: Ensure that the text and links in your header remain easy to read. If you choose a dark background, use light-colored text, and vice versa.
- Brand Consistency: Stick to colors that align with your brand identity. Using your brand’s primary colors can help create a cohesive look and feel.
- Contrast: The header should stand out from the rest of your page but still blend seamlessly with your overall design. Avoid jarring color contrasts that might distract users.
- Accessibility: Make sure your color choices are accessible to people with visual impairments. Use tools like contrast checkers to ensure that the color contrast between your background and text meets accessibility standards.
Conclusion
Changing the background color of your WordPress site’s header is a simple yet effective way to enhance your site’s design and user experience. Whether you choose to use the WordPress Customizer, custom CSS, a page builder, or theme-specific options, you now have several methods to achieve the desired look.
By carefully selecting the right color and following best practices, you can create a visually appealing header that not only represents your brand but also improves navigation clarity for your users.
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